GRTU hits out at 'discriminatory' policy to punish construction with higher MEPA tariffs

The GRTU expressed its shock at the way development application tariffs were hiked this week by government, in the ongoing reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). The Labour party has called them a ‘MEPA tax’.

“What is amazing is that government boasts of fronting millions of euros in taxpayers’ money to save jobs at ST Microelectronics… but it doesn’t think twice of hitting out at the construction industry,” the GRTU said.

GRTU president Paul Abela said the latest GDP data showed clearly that the construction industry remains in recession. Abela said it had presented a package of incentives to the government, which have however not yet been taken aboard. “Instead of government help, after burdening the industry with so much bureaucracy now we have exaggerated tariffs on an industry that requires MEPA permits solely to exist. It doesn’t make sense to muzzle the employers who generate so many millions in taxes for government,” Abela said.

“Punishing an industry that employs so many people is a wrong policy. But punishing it while it is passing through a bad patch and trying to keep its workers employed, is totally condemnable. The GRTU cannot understand this contradictory policy towards the industry. It is unfair that some industries are preferable to others... what’s the use of a users committee in MEPA when the authority imposes tariffs without this committee meeting?”

FULL TARIFFS ON GOOGLE DOCS